WC-2026 qualifiers: North Korea – Kyrgyzstan match may be held in Tashkent

The Kyrgyz Football Association has proposed to the North Korean Football Federation to hold the match scheduled for June 5 as part of the World Cup 2026 qualifying round in Tashkent. This was announced by Alisher Nikimbayev, a member of the FIFA organizing committee.

As the official host, North Korea cannot hold international matches in its country due to political situations. Therefore, they have the opportunity to organize this match in any neutral venue in Asia. The Kyrgyz side prefers to hold this match in Tashkent.

In justifying its proposal, the Kyrgyz Football Association points out that since North Korea must hold the 10th round match in Tehran, Tashkent is the most suitable option for the match against Kyrgyzstan. The final decision on this proposal will be made by the North Korean Football Federation.

Currently, the Kyrgyz national team is in 5th place in Group A of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers with 6 points. They still have a chance to qualify for the 3rd round of the qualifiers. North Korea, on the other hand, is at the bottom of the group with 2 points.

Uzbekistan national team's qualifying schedule

On the same day of the World Cup 2026 qualifying round, the Uzbekistan national team will be a guest in the UAE. On June 10, they will hold a decisive match against Qatar in Tashkent. This game is also expected to be of great importance for the qualifying round.

While an official decision on where the match between North Korea and Kyrgyzstan will take place is awaited, a potential match in Tashkent could be an interesting event for regional football fans.